1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the transport and distribution of transportation fuels and, more particularly, to the transport and distribution of hydrogen as a transportation fuel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hydrocarbons are largely used for transportation fuels in internal combustion engines. As such there is a well established storage, distribution and dispensing infrastructure in place.
Gasoline and diesel fuels are transported, stored and dispensed economically and safely using this infrastructure. Similarly, natural gas has a well established storage and distribution system.
Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic diagram of the distribution of the transportation fuels (e.g. gasoline, diesel, etc.) is shown. A fuel production system, 11, includes the apparatus for transporting the feedstocks from the source to a production facility. At the production facility, the feedstocks are processed and distilled into various transportation fuels. The hydrocarbon fuel storage, distribution and transportation system, 12, includes the facilities and equipment downstream of the production facility needed to store, transport the transportation fuels to service stations. The service station, 14, includes storage facilities that store products until needed. From the storage facilities in the service station, the fuels are dispensed to the vehicles by dispensing units, 15.
The storage and distribution system for natural gas is simple and largely consists of compressors, pipework and valves and meters. It is usually piped directly to end users.
It is envisaged that in the future, hydrocarbon fuels will be replaced by hydrogen as fuel cells become viable as an electricity generator that in turn will be used as the motive energy for vehicles. Therefore, a safe and economical supply of hydrogen will be necessary in order to provide fuel for these vehicles using fuel cells.
Neither the existing hydrocarbon distribution and dispensing system, nor the existing natural gas distribution and dispensing system in their current forms are capable of distributing and dispensing hydrogen. The trucks that transport hydrocarbons and the storage facilities that store hydrocarbons are not able to transport and store hydrogen. The existing natural gas facilities could be converted to distribute hydrogen but would then be unusable for natural gas at the same time as it is a single product system. Therefore, a whole new system of transportation and storage would be necessary to transport and store hydrogen. In addition, this new system would have to run in parallel for some years while the transition from liquid hydrocarbon fuels to hydrogen as a fuel was made.
In order to overcome this problem of the distribution and storage of hydrogen, proposals are being made and plans are being drawn up for each fuel cell powered vehicle, 16, to have a hydrocarbon to hydrogen converter, 17, as a part of each vehicle and thus retain the current liquid hydrocarbon distribution and storage system.
Although this is a means of overcoming the problem of hydrogen distribution and storage, it presents a number of other problems. These problems can be put in three categories.
The first problem is one of an increased requirement for capital. In this plan, instead of simply supplying the hydrogen fuel that the vehicles will use, each vehicle will require a converter, 17, to change the hydrocarbon into hydrogen. This will increase the cost of each and every vehicle.
The second problem is that of emissions of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. In the process of producing hydrogen from hydrocarbons, either carbon monoxide, or more commonly, carbon dioxide is produced. In the proposed scheme whereby hydrogen is produced in each vehicle, carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide would also be produced and released (not captured) to the atmosphere, 21. Both of these gases are pollutants and injurious to the environment. (In order to capture these fugitive pollutants, yet more equipment in the vehicle would be required, as well as an environmentally acceptable infrastructure to dispose of these gases.)
The third problem of this scheme is one of increased complexity for each vehicle. The necessity to produce hydrogen from hydrocarbons in each vehicle increases the complexity of each vehicle appreciably. A storage tank would have to be added for the hydrocarbons, a hydrogen from hydrocarbon converter, 17, that makes hydrogen from hydrocarbons would have to be added as well as all the interconnections and controls that are associated with this equipment would also be necessary. Not only are capital costs increased, the maintenance of the vehicle would be increased as well. The mass of the vehicle would be increased and thus its efficiency decreased. The increased complexity of the vehicle would also require the consideration of safety for these additional systems and perhaps yet more equipment, further increasing capital costs and maintenance.
A requirement has therefore been recognized for apparatus and an associated method having the feature that hydrogen as a transportation fuel can be transported, distributed and supplied efficiently, economically and safely. It would be a further feature of the present invention to eliminate the need for hydrocarbon to hydrogen converters in each vehicle. It would be yet another feature of the present invention to use the existing liquid hydrocarbon transportation fuel infrastructure and/or natural gas distribution infrastructure to distribute hydrogen. It is a more particular feature of the present invention to provide local service stations with hydrocarbon to hydrogen converter units to provide hydrogen. Yet another feature of the present invention would be to capture the otherwise fugitive pollutants.
The aforementioned and other features of the present invention are accomplished, according to the present invention, by locating hydrogen from hydrocarbon equipment in existing local hydrocarbon storage and dispensing stations (service stations). The equipment would produce hydrogen that would be sold to power fuel cells and other apparatus requiring hydrogen as a fuel, including fuel cell powered vehicles. The byproducts of the hydrogen from hydrocarbon producing equipment would also be captured. The inclusion of hydrogen from hydrocarbon equipment in every vehicle can thereby be eliminated. In addition, the existing hydrocarbon distribution system can continue to use the existing facilities and the two distribution systems of the two forms of transportation fuels can co-exist smoothing the transition from the hydrocarbon fuels to hydrogen as fuels.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood upon reading of the following description and claims along with the drawings.